Most recent columns

Frans Verhaar: There’s a whole world hidden behind the letters ‘ABF’

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 09:10:20 +0200

_{This column was originally written in Dutch. This is an English translation.}

By Frans Verhaar, Managing Director, Head of Continental Europe at bfinance

Sometimes, a collective term reveals just how little we actually know about something. Take Asset-Backed Finance (ABF). The term is cropping up more and more frequently in discussions with institutional investors, in market reports and at conferences. But anyone who thinks that ABF is an asset class like shares, property or even private debt will soon discover that behind those three letters lies a surprisingly multifaceted universe.

Frans Verhaar: Don't let the managers decide what is 'in line with the market'

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 08:02:08 +0200

_{This column was originally written in Dutch. This is an English translation.}

By Frans Verhaar, Managing Director, Head of Continental Europe at bfinance

It is early July. In some parts of the Netherlands, people are already haggling over a carpet or a leather bag at a market abroad, whilst stallholders call out to them, ‘Only look, no buy’. There, everyone understands that the asking price isn’t necessarily the actual price.

Frans Verhaar: The legacy of the previous cycle

Tue, 05 May 2026 08:26:45 +0200

_{This column was originally written in Dutch. This is an English translation.}

By Frans Verhaar, Managing Director and Head of Continental Europe at bfinance

Nine out of ten institutional investors worldwide are positive about infrastructure. Half intend to increase their allocation further. This is no passing fad: in our recent survey of around forty major LPs with a combined $4 trillion in assets under management, infrastructure was the only private asset class about which virtually no one had any doubts.

Frans Verhaar: Real estate is back in the black — or is it?

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 08:23:53 +0100

_{This column was originally written in Dutch. This is an English translation.}

By Frans Verhaar, Managing Director, Head of Continental Europe at bfinance

It seems that the real estate market is back in the black. After years of turbulence, in which illiquidity, valuation pressure, and revaluations dominated the headlines, the figures are suddenly looking more positive again. But before we pop the champagne, a fundamental question arises: what does this “recovery” actually mean? And for whom?

Frans Verhaar: Validation, the invisible cost

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:07:02 +0100

By Frans Verhaar, Managing Director, Head of Continental Europe at bfinance

The costs of illiquid investments have been under scrutiny for years. And rightly so: the total fee burden on private equity, private debt, real estate and infrastructure is considerable and can significantly affect the net return over the term. Yet one crucial aspect of cost management often remains overlooked: validation. In other words, do investors check whether the agreed terms are actually being applied correctly?